by Ian Rankin
Part of Inspector Rebus, book 3
First published 1998
Inspector John Rebus boards a train from Edinburgh to London. Scotland Yard has summoned him south because of his supposed knowledge about serial killers. His new colleague George Flight resents the interference from yet another outside inspector. Flight already faces pressure from multiple Chief Inspectors without dealing with an outsider from Scotland. Rebus must navigate both racial prejudice and the hunt for a dangerous killer. An attractive psychologist offers him a profile of the serial murderer known as the Wolfman. The opportunity seems too valuable to refuse. But accepting her help may give his enemies the weapon they need to destroy him. Rebus finds himself caught between professional rivalry and personal survival while tracking a violent predator through London's streets.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Edinburgh, London, Scotland Yard
Period: 20th-century
277 pages · Paperback · Orion
Content warnings: violence